Page 76 of A Texas Hero

“Well, as long as ‘soon’ doesn’t mean ‘right now,’ we have time.”

He eagerly followed her into her bedroom, a place he’d never seen before except from the outside patio area. Double French doors led to her backyard garden, and they were closed now, the blinds drawn.

Archer reached for Zoey, pulled her close, kissing her deeply until they both broke apart for air. He’d never touched softer skin, never felt that he would jump out of his own. All worries of intimacy were gone.

“This is going to be good,” she said. Then she pulled off her top and revealed a plunging red satin bra. He nearly swallowed his tongue.

“Oh, you have no idea.”

* * *

Hours later, Zoey lay wrapped in Archer’s strong arms. Being with him was better than she could have ever imagined. While they could be together now, it also meant he would be taking a job sending him far away for God knew how long. Just her luck to find the perfect man for her and have to watch him leave. Love just wasn’t in the cards for her.

“Zoey.” Behind her, Archer pulled her closer to him and whispered into her neck. “I have an idea.”

“You’re not going to Asia?” She shut her eyes. “That’s a great idea. Stupendous.”

Make a wish, Zoey. Close your eyes and make a wish.

Not just on birthdays, but anytime Zoey wanted something, her mother had encouraged her to make a wish. But her mami’s magical thinking wouldn’t work here. This was Adulting 101. Real life. Messy and raw and imperfect. You didn’t always get what you wanted because you wished for it. Zoey first learned magical thinking didn’t work when Mami’s doctors had told them that no further treatment would extend her life.

“I have a few days off before I have to go to Asia,” Archer said.

She turned in his arms. “You do?”

“My boss seems to think since I never had a day off on this assignment, I should take a few days for myself. Tie up any loose ends at home since I might be gone for months.”

Oh my God. Months?

He was going to meet some beautiful woman over there, get married and bring her home with him. Zoey would be heartbroken, but there would be nothing she could do if he fell in love. She would have to encourage and support it, or be called a hypocrite.

“Am I a loose end?” She winked, trying to make light of this.

“You’re not. But I’d like to spend more time with you, you know, and…do some more of this.” He rolled on top of her, keeping his weight off, kissing her shoulder.

“Yes, I accept,” she said, biting her lower lip. “Let’s do this every day and night until you have to go. I want you to remember me and remember me well.”

“There’s absolutely no chance I’m ever going to forget anything about you.”

Then he kissed her again, trailing sweet and hot kisses down her neck, her shoulders, her breasts. He worshipped her body and she worshipped his, and it was hours before they thought about anything else.

“I’ll be back for dinner,” Archer said at the door.

It was difficult to leave, Zoey clinging to him in her silky bathrobe when he knew she wasn’t wearing anything else under there. He wished he didn’t believe in a damn thing called ethics—they could have been doing this all along.

“We only have a few days, so I don’t want to waste any time,” she said. “I’ll close the shop early.”

“What are you going to tell them about me?” He’d been in every day, never getting a day off unless she did.

“I’m going to tell them that we had a huge fight, a disagreement over the window display, and I fired you!” She said all this speaking into his neck.

“Okay, sure. Whatever works.” With great reluctance, he pulled himself away, because if he didn’t, they were going to wind up in bed again.

After one last kiss, he headed out the door and climbed into his sedan. He drove the thirty minutes to his condo in Houston, arriving to find only a few pieces of random advertising scattered outside his door. His mail had been redirected to a post office box.

Archer closed the door and surveyed his apartment with more of a critical eye after having stayed at Zoey’s. Hers was a home; his was a station, an in-between place. Half of his stuff was still in boxes, except for the TV and cooking essentials. Packing would be easy. He’d learned to travel light over the years.

It was time to check in with the folks and let them know he’d be gone again, this time farther away and for much longer.